1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to covers and more particularly to a cover for the vertically oriented exhaust pipe of a truck or other similar type of vehicle which is designed to prevent the entry of precipitation and dirt into the exhaust pipe during the time that the truck is not being operated.
2) Description of the Prior Art
It is exceedingly common for trucks to have vertically oriented exhaust pipes. Vertically oriented exhaust pipes are commonly used in truck tractors which are used to haul trailers. Such trucks are in exceedingly widespread use throughout the world. The vertically oriented exhaust pipes are susceptible to entry by precipitation and dirt when the truck is not being used. In the past, in order to prevent precipitation and dirt from entering into the exhaust pipe, it has been known to place a right-angled bend in the exhaust pipe at its outer end so that access into the exhaust pipe occurs horizontally rather than vertically. This type of structural arrangement of an exhaust pipe will prevent most moisture and dirt from entering the exhaust pipe although some moisture and some dirt is capable of entering it. Also, it has been known to place some kind of a flapper valve on the exhaust pipe that has a tendency to close the opening into the exhaust pipe but is readily pivoted away from the opening of the exhaust pipe during operation of the truck. The problem with these flapper valves is that such produce noise during operation of the truck with this noise normally being undesirable for most people.
There are a substantial number of trucks that have vertically oriented exhaust pipes on which there are no flapper valves and where the exhaust pipe is directed straight upward and does not include a right angled tube at its outer end. It is for these trucks that there is a special need for a cover that can be placed over the exhaust pipe when the truck is not being used to prevent precipitation and dirt from entering the exhaust pipe.